Happy 18th Birthday, Josh!

It was a good birthday for Josh! With his birthday money ($75.00) he bought a pair of shoes and kept the rest of the cash. We also got him some little snacks and treats. His friends also came through with several gifts for him. Tonight he had a soccer game against Pine View. Rick and I went to watch. He made an awesome assist and another awesome goal and his team won. Josh was voted "Man of the Match," (MVP) for the game. Way to go, Josh! (Also, can you believe he is 18??)

Happy 18th Birthday, Jaiden!!

Facebook Post: This beautiful, bright, vivacious girl turned 18 today!! We used to call Jaiden Jensen our "little tornado." When she was a toddler, she was always on the go -- climbing, jumping, twirling, and creating havoc wherever she went! Today she is still constantly on the go with a myriad of activities. She is still leaping, twirling, singing, and creating! But these actions have been channeled into the beautiful art of performing and accomplishing great things, not only in the arts, but academically, and as a leader as well. Jaiden has always been brimming with personality and keeps us laughing with her fun sense of humor. She recently graduated from Snow Canyon High School and will attend SUU in the fall, majoring in Exercise Science. Our home will be way too quiet without her! We love you, Jaiden! Happy 18th Birthday!!!

Last Saturday I brought Jaiden birthday shopping at Runway Exchange and she bought a bunch of clothes. She also picked out a big yellow water bottle for her birthday. For her birthday dinner on Sunday she wanted pork tenderloins and so I purchased all of the ingredients for the meal and cooked that for our Sunday dinner. 

Jaiden spent the entire day of her birthday at an all-day dance rehearsal for her upcoming Senior Concert!  Then we had a family dinner and her friends, Emily Williams and Lizzie Bryner both brought over birthday gifts for her. The RS and YW presidencies also brought over treats. To celebrate tonight she and Maddox went to go see “Wonderland” at Tuacahn! I think she had a good birthday in spite of a busy day and being somewhat sick with a cold! Happy Birthday, Jaiden, we love you!!

Janelle is 18!!!

I can't believe that Janelle is officially an adult!! She is such a joy to have in our family! Janelle is easy-going and continuously happy! She has an "attitude of gratitude" and enjoys the simple things in life. She is such a wonderful example to me! She has so much faith and is amazingly consistent with studying her scriptures. I learn so much from her insights and have several "quotes by Janelle" in my own scriptures.

She isn't afraid to try new things. She works hard at whatever she does and I know that I can depend on her! Janelle loves Christmas, Christmas music, singing, lasagna, and the color green! She is especially grateful to have such incredible friends!! Janelle will be an amazing missionary, wife, and mother someday! I am honored to be her mother! Happy Birthday, Janelle!! (Janelle is currently celebrating her 18th birthday by buying a goldfish -- just because she can. Apparently you have to be 18 to buy one!) We love you, Janelle!  (From my Facebook post -- Click HERE to see the pictures and comments!) 

We had cake and ice-cream as a family for Janelle the Sunday before her birthday while Janika and Brandon were in town. The cake shows the number "18" in candles, but in the picture it shows up as "81!"  Boy, she really IS old, ha ha! Click below for her birthday song fail, ha ha! (Wait for it)!

   

Jaiden made Janelle a cute t-shirt that says, "It's called Adulting." It is from a song from a Phineas and Ferb movie and Jaiden played the song on her phone while Janelle opened the gift. Janelle loved it! Her friends decorated her car and gave her some cute little gifts. Her friend, Brea and her mom, brought in pizza for lunch to celebrate! Brea also gave her a beautiful soft blanket and a cute little stocking for Desmond (Janelle's official "adult" purchase -- a new beta fish). 

The speech therapists that Janelle works with for her Internship gave her a little goody bag filled with some fun prizes and her Young Women leader brought over a balloon and some scrunchies. Janelle also received some clothes and shoes and other odds and ends from us. Janelle received a card and money from her Grandma Jensen and her Grandma Westra helped her set up her very own ROTH account! Wow, she really IS an adult now! 

Janelle's friend, Emily Ord, gave her this home-made card. I thought it was so sweet! 

Happy Birthday Jared!!

Jared is 18 years old! Now he gets to sign his own consent forms, submit mission papers, and be registered with Selective Service.

I laughed when I saw Josh's card and this nasty looking banana for Jared. I could totally see Jared doing that. Josh and Jared are so much alike! 

Jared's friends came over tonight to celebrate! They brought a screen and projector and played Super Smash Bros outside. They were going to watch a movie outside but the sound wasn't working and so they all moved to the basement. They brought Dominoes Pizza and little cakes which they stuck with candles and sang Happy Birthday to him. Jared said he has the coolest friends ever and that his birthday was perfect.  

 They watched a scary movie (The Ring) in the basement.

Our family celebrated with chocolate cake and ice-cream. Jared got a new missionary suit for his birthday!

Jase's 18th Birthday!!

Today was Jase's birthday -- 18!!!!  He didn't ask for anything for his birthday and so I just gave him money.  I brought Jaiden to the Dicken's Festival for her dance performance and Rick met me there right after work. Tonight we got Papa Murphy's pizza.  There was a 50% off your entire order special on Monday and so we ordered it then and planned the pickup for today.  Jase, Jared, and Janelle went to Young Mens/Womens and then we had cake and ice-cream for Jase! (Here is a picture of Jase taken a couple of weeks after his birthday for Sterling Scholar). 

Happy 18th Birthday, Janika!!

Today is Janika's 18th birthday! Many wards in our area cancelled church because of the snowstorm and icy roads.  The carolers were supposed to sing in our hearing ward and also the deaf branch today but Rick cancelled their performances because we didn't want the teenagers driving across town in dangerous snowy and icy streets. 

Our hearing ward didn't cancel church but only had Sacrament meeting because the heating system was down in all of the classrooms.  The only heated areas were the chapel and the Bishop's office.  The Deaf Branch cancelled church completely.  I was supposed to give a talk and hadn't even started it and so the cancellation was somewhat of a relief. We went to our ward for Choir practice and Sacrament meeting and then stayed after for Jase's ordination to become a Priest. 

After church we ate a nice dinner and sang "Happy Birthday" to Janika. She showed off her impressive lung capacity by blowing out all 18 candles in one breath!